Splash247: US explores small reactors for ships and ports

Published by Splash247

The US Maritime Administration is set to sign a landmark agreement with the Port of Long Beach to explore small modular reactors for commercial ships and other port applications, pushing nuclear propulsion further into the mainstream maritime debate.

The agreement, due to be signed in Washington on Wednesday, is the first of its kind between MARAD and an American port. It will examine how small modular reactor technology could be tested and integrated into vessels, terminals and the wider marine transportation system.

The initiative forms part of the Trump administration’s effort to rebuild US maritime and shipbuilding capabilities while reducing dependence on conventional marine fuels.

MARAD launched a broader small modular reactor programme in May, seeking proposals for a US-built system that could be scaled across commercial fleets and supporting logistics infrastructure. The agency said it was interested in treating nuclear propulsion as commercial infrastructure rather than a one-off technology demonstration.